A Linden man who works as a karate instructor was arrested over the weekend and charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and witness tampering, after an investigation revealed he was having a sexual relationship with a now 14-year-old girl, said Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow.
Humberto Benitez DOB: 1/28/1970 also works as a computer technician, said Romankow. An investigation was launched several weeks ago when the victim approached a counselor at school with the allegation. The school contacted the victim’s parents and police, said Romankow.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Benitez was friendly with the girl’s family and had started the abuse when the child was 8-years-old. Since the allegations were revealed, Benitez tried to contact the victim through a social networking website and had been seen lurking around the girl’s family’s house.
Benitez was arrested at his South Park Avenue house in Linden without incident on Friday. He is being held at the Union County Jail on $250,000 bail.
Prosecutor Romankow commended Sgt. Tom Nugent of the Roselle Police department for his work on the investigation.
These criminal charges are mere accusations.
The defendant are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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